Trains.com

I feel Sorry for BNSF

8155 views
50 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Kenosha, WI
  • 6,567 posts
Posted by zardoz on Sunday, June 26, 2011 12:43 PM

Mr. Railman

I want to run a shortline railroad on the belief of providing cheap, clean, and efficient transportation....like the.....CNW.

LaughLaughLaugh The CNW?!?! FOFLMAO

 

Sorry...I couldn't help myself.

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Southwest US
  • 12,914 posts
Posted by tomikawaTT on Sunday, June 26, 2011 11:22 AM

Back to the original outcry:

In case no one has noticed, there is major flooding all along the Northern Missouri river and in North Dakota.

How would YOU re-route around the flood?  Through Canada?  (I suspect that Canada is having flood problems with the same river that's creating havoc in Minot, ND.)

Let's just be thankful that BNSF can arrange to re-route around the rising waters, rather than shutting down altogether and putting thousands of people on unemployment compensation.

I'm not a BNSF shareholder, but the taxes they pay contribute to my military retirement and a lot of other federal compensation programs.

And, yes, I'm concerned about money.  Why should a corporation be different?

Chuck

  • Member since
    January 2002
  • From: Canterlot
  • 9,575 posts
Posted by zugmann on Sunday, June 26, 2011 10:17 AM

Mr. Railman

I want to run a shortline railroad on the belief of providing cheap, clean, and efficient transportation the way customers want, like the WSOR and CNW. There's some railroads that know how to do it! Hopefully once i'm making enough profit from industries I can partner up with Metra to provide commuter transportation between Kenosha and Milwaukee. (we all know the government or Metra will never  create the extension North of Kenosha.) Eventually, I'd also have passenger and freight moving between Green Bay and Chicago as well as my own vevrsion of the Twin Cities Hiawatha.

 

If you provided the service the exact way customers want - you'd be broke in a day.

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 9,610 posts
Posted by schlimm on Sunday, June 26, 2011 9:04 AM

Mr. Railman

I want to run a shortline railroad on the belief of providing cheap, clean, and efficient transportation the way customers want, like the WSOR and CNW. There's some railroads that know how to do it! Hopefully once i'm making enough profit from industries I can partner up with Metra to provide commuter transportation between Kenosha and Milwaukee. (we all know the government or Metra will never  create the extension North of Kenosha.) Eventually, I'd also have passenger and freight moving between Green Bay and Chicago as well as my own vevrsion of the Twin Cities Hiawatha.

 

C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Sunday, June 26, 2011 8:21 AM

From what I understand, BNSF is one of the more socially responsible money-making private enterprises in the USA, with a reasonably good management-enployee relationship and reasonably good reputation with both its customers and the communities through which it passes.   Maybe not the best in the world.   It is not like one ice-cream company that sets itself up as primiarly to employ and empower the underprivileged, nor possibly should it be.  (And that company has on at least one occasion, in my opinon, in the interest of "social responsibility, done, in my opinion, yoeman work in helping forces of darkness and prejudice!)  I think well of BNSF's management and I only wish them the best.    I think most short-line railroad executives would also agree.

  • Member since
    September 2010
  • From: Libertyville, IL
  • 372 posts
Posted by Mr. Railman on Sunday, June 26, 2011 7:20 AM

I want to run a shortline railroad on the belief of providing cheap, clean, and efficient transportation the way customers want, like the WSOR and CNW. There's some railroads that know how to do it! Hopefully once i'm making enough profit from industries I can partner up with Metra to provide commuter transportation between Kenosha and Milwaukee. (we all know the government or Metra will never  create the extension North of Kenosha.) Eventually, I'd also have passenger and freight moving between Green Bay and Chicago as well as my own vevrsion of the Twin Cities Hiawatha.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Vicksburg, Michigan
  • 2,303 posts
Posted by Andrew Falconer on Saturday, June 25, 2011 11:21 PM

What products are hauled by the BNSF that you use once a day, once a month, once a year, and once a lifetime?

Andrew

Andrew

Watch my videos on-line at https://www.youtube.com/user/AndrewNeilFalconer

  • Member since
    August 2010
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 8,955 posts
Posted by Firelock76 on Saturday, June 25, 2011 5:24 PM

I know it's been said before, and I'll say it again:  Railroads aren't in business to amuse railfans.  All they're concerned with is moving "stuff" from Point A to Point B in the most profitable manner possible.  As much as we would wish otherwise, history, tradition, lore, what have you just doesn't enter into it.  Some are more hard core about it than others of course, but I think you get my drift. 

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Guelph, Ontario
  • 4,819 posts
Posted by Ulrich on Saturday, June 25, 2011 9:24 AM


Money is very important, but it certainly isn't the most important factor...at least for many of us. True, if the business is not making money then nothing else really matters; however, there are some things that are more important than money, even in business. BNSF (like most any business) is more than just a business...it is somebodies'  life's work...in the case of BNSF...a number of people who have an ownership stake or who work there would agree with that. They are heavily invested in seeing the Company do well...they don't look at their paychecks so much...they look at the Company to see how it can be improved and grown. Those are the people who move the company forward, and their predecessors are those who successfully built BNSF up from various other lines to what it is today. That requires long range thinking, and often that means foregoing short term profits because money needs to be reinvested for the longterm.  That's the irony I guess...the whole point of business is to make money and to create profits...but if you focus only on wringing profits from the business chances are you won't do well with it.

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: Potomac Yard
  • 2,767 posts
Posted by NittanyLion on Saturday, June 25, 2011 7:50 AM

I'm not even a company and all I really care about is money.

 

I mean I gotta sleep somewhere that's not outside and somehow I keep needing food.

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 2,593 posts
Posted by PNWRMNM on Saturday, June 25, 2011 7:04 AM

Class I carriers, like any corporation, care about nothing since they are not people.  If you were Czar of the Universe on what principal should railroads be run and how would that be different from other businesses?

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 297 posts
Posted by Zwingle on Saturday, June 25, 2011 2:45 AM

Mr. Railman

BNSF Trains comming from Chicago/Mnneapolis have to south through Nebraska before coming back up onto their own line in Idaho. i don't feel sorry because Class one railroads only care about moey!

First of all, it's spelled "Moai," and secondly, I seriously doubt the Class One railroads really give a rip about the stone statues on Easter Island. So just relax.

 

  • Member since
    May 2005
  • From: S.E. South Dakota
  • 13,569 posts
Posted by Murphy Siding on Friday, June 24, 2011 10:11 PM

     Thy dont' hav to south through Nebraska.  The can north through North Dakota.  BNSF owns their own lines through both states.  As luck would have it, all railroads only care about moey.

In my best Tommy James and the Shondells voice:  " Here she comes now, singing' moey- moey!"

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Vancouver Island, BC
  • 23,330 posts
Posted by selector on Friday, June 24, 2011 9:29 PM

Mr. Railman

BNSF Trains comming from Chicago/Mnneapolis have to south through Nebraska before coming back up onto their own line in Idaho. i don't feel sorry because Class one railroads only care about moey!

I guess you'd rather the company go broke with problems like this one?  And when they send out a few thousand pink slips, especially in view of the current employment economy, would you bounce in your chair and chortle in glee?

Crandell

  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: South Central,Ks
  • 7,170 posts
Posted by samfp1943 on Friday, June 24, 2011 9:27 PM

Mr. Railman

BNSF Trains comming from Chicago/Mnneapolis have to south through Nebraska before coming back up onto their own line in Idaho. i don't feel sorry because Class one railroads only care about moey!

       Bang HeadAnd YOUR Suggestion as to how to run the Railroad is IS?Whistling

 

 


 

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: KS
  • 999 posts
Posted by SFbrkmn on Friday, June 24, 2011 9:25 PM

Well I can't complain. BNSF is making me a large chunk of paydirt and of course thats why we are all here.  12 hrs a day, 5 days a wk, rd swtchr rate, meal allowance plus mileage , thank you BNSF for helping me pay for getting my master bathroom redone.

  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: Mason City, Iowa
  • 901 posts
Posted by RRKen on Friday, June 24, 2011 8:44 PM

Mr. Railman

BNSF Trains comming from Chicago/Mnneapolis have to south through Nebraska before coming back up onto their own line in Idaho. i don't feel sorry because Class one railroads only care about moey!

And like BN, UP has made me a chunk of change.  And that is what makes the world go round.

I never drink water. I'm afraid it will become habit-forming.
W. C. Fields
I never met a Moderator I liked
  • Member since
    March 2010
  • 64 posts
Posted by Diggwadd on Friday, June 24, 2011 8:42 PM

Certainly not for the love and admiration of railfans.

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 24, 2011 8:39 PM

Mr. Railman

BNSF Trains comming from Chicago/Mnneapolis have to south through Nebraska before coming back up onto their own line in Idaho. i don't feel sorry because Class one railroads only care about moey!

Well young man, you certainly don't expect them to run the railroad out of love, do you???

 

 

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 25,292 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Friday, June 24, 2011 8:30 PM

If they didn't care about money.....they would not be with us today!

BNSF and all the other railroad provide transportation services to their customers and expect to be compensated for the services they provide.  The profit motive drives all businesses.

Mr. Railman

BNSF Trains comming from Chicago/Mnneapolis have to south through Nebraska before coming back up onto their own line in Idaho. i don't feel sorry because Class one railroads only care about moey!

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    March 2010
  • 64 posts
Posted by Diggwadd on Friday, June 24, 2011 7:32 PM

Mr. Railman

BNSF Trains coming from Chicago/Minneapolis have to move south through Nebraska before coming back up onto their own line in Idaho.I don't feel sorry because Class one railroads only care about money!

 

Did you accidentally                              the entire thing?

 

BNSF is a prety kewl guy, it runs deh tranes and doesnt afraid of anyting

  • Member since
    September 2010
  • From: Libertyville, IL
  • 372 posts
I feel Sorry for BNSF
Posted by Mr. Railman on Friday, June 24, 2011 6:51 PM

BNSF Trains comming from Chicago/Mnneapolis have to south through Nebraska before coming back up onto their own line in Idaho. The Amtrak is still running its "Twin Cities Hiawatha" Builders as well. Hope this ends soon cause that reroute for BNSF is a big one!

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy